Dhaka Metropolitan Police Explained

Agencyname:Dhaka Metropolitan Police
Nativename:ঢাকা মেট্রোপলিটন পুলিশ
Abbreviation:DMP
Logocaption:Crest of Dhaka Metropolitan Police
Formedyear:1976
Formedmonthday:1 February
Employees:34,000
Country:Dhaka, Bangladesh
Constitution1:The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1976
Police:Yes
Headquarters:36 Shaheed Captain Mansur Ali Sarani, Ramna, Dhaka 1217
Minister1name:Jahangir Alam Chowdhury
Minister1pfo:Minister of Home Affairs
Chief1name:DIG Md. Mainul Hasan
Chief1position:Police commissioner
Parentagency: Bangladesh Police
Unittype:Special Unit
Unitname:CTTC, SWAT, Detective Branch
Vehicle1type:Armored vehicles
Vehicles1:Otokar Cobra, IAG Guardian, Typhoon, STREIT Group Spartan
Aircraft1type:Helicopters
Aircraft1:Bell 407
Stations:50
Footnotes:Service uniform

Midnight Blue, Khaki

Combat uniform: Tiffany Blue, Midnight Blue

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Bengali: ঢাকা মেট্রোপলিটন পুলিশ|Ḍhākā mēṭrōpaliṭana puliśa; abbreviated as DMP) is the unit of Bangladesh Police responsible for law enforcement in the metropolis of Dhaka, the national capital and most populous city in Bangladesh. The DMP is the largest police force unit in Bangladesh. At present, the DMP commissioner is Md. Mainul Hasan.[1] [2]

History

During a major reorganization and expansion of Bangladesh's national police forces, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was established on 1 February 1976 to maintain law and order in the country's capital and largest city. It initially had 6,000 personnel in 12 police stations.[3] With the rapid population growth of the city, the need of an expanded and better equipped police increased. The government planned a major expansion of police. Consequently, the establishment of 50 police stations has been completed.[3] [4] The number of personnel has been expanded, with newer ranks and officer corps.[3] During the tenure of Asaduzzaman Mia as DMP Commissioner, general diary (GD) format was introduced in every police station, an e-traffic prosecution system was introduced and information of Dhaka residents was stored on a digital database to reduce crimes.[5]

Holey Artisan

The attack started at about 21:40 local time. Alerted by the gunfire, Dhaka Metropolitan Police detective Rabiul Karim and officer-in-charge Salauddin Khan started to investigate. Other police officers responded, arriving at the restaurant. The attackers then engaged in a shootout with the police. Police cordoned off the area around the restaurant and planned a rescue raid. The attackers however threw grenades and fired, killing officers Karim and Khan.[6] [7]

DMP Commissioner, Asaduzzaman Mia, and several officers struck inside and opened fire on the militants in an attempt to rescue civilians from the site. 9 people were brought back from the site in the attempt. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was briefed by the Commissioner and she instructed him to move away with his men and informed him the Army Chief Belal Shafiul Huq was on his way from Sylhet.[8] He has been known as one of the figurehead who contributed in uprooting terrorism from the country.[9]

Organisation

The current total strength of stands at around more than 34,000 (including ministerial staff) personnel and 50 police stations.[3] [4] The DMP organisation is divided into 42 divisions headed by five additional commissioners aided by joint commissioners, deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners.[3] Here is the DMP organogram in brief:

  1. Headquarters and Administration: Additional Commissioner (Admin) administers the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Headquarters. Joint Commissioner (Headquarters) assists him in this regard. Joint Commissioner (Public Order Management) helps him with his 10,500 officers by governing arms of the police, handling appointments, training, logistics, supplies and other administrative functions. Additional Commissioner (Admin) has 15 divisions under his supervision.
  2. Crime and Operations Additional Commissioner (Crime & Ops) administers and oversees the functions of all the city police stations.[10] Joint Commissioner (Crime) and Joint Commissioner (Ops) assist him in managing the crime divisions. Joint Commissioner (Protection) is responsible for providing security to VIPs, members of parliament, government officials, foreign dignitaries and others.[11] Additional Commissioner (Crime & Ops) has 14 divisions under his supervision.
  3. Detective and Criminal Intelligence: Additional Commissioner (Detective and Criminal Intelligence Division) is responsible for fighting organised crime, homicide, theft, drug trafficking, crimes against women and human trafficking.[12] He has 9 divisions under his supervision.
  4. Traffic: Additional Commissioner (Traffic) is responsible for serving as the traffic police of the city, regulating vehicular traffic, speed and parking laws, pedestrian and road security. Eight divisions are under his supervision.
  5. Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime is a specialized branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police comprising 600 officers, formed in 2016, to tackle terrorism and transnational crime. There are seven divisions are under his supervision.

SWAT

The SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) is another elite tactical unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police which was established on 28 February 2009. SWAT is operated under the Special Action Group of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Cyber Crime Investigation Division

The Cyber Security & Crime Division, more commonly known as the Cyber Crime Division, is a branch of Bangladesh Police which is operated under the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.[13] [14]

SWPC

Female officers were first inducted into the DMP in 1978.[15] [16]

The Special Women Police Contingent (SWPC) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police was created in 2008 to specifically track female criminals involved in activities such as prostitution, drug smuggling and human trafficking, theft, homicide and swindling. With increasing proportions of female criminals in Bangladesh, the SWPC, composing entirely of female officers, would be used to gather intelligence that men are seen as less capable of gathering.

The Special Women Police Contingent (SWPC) was formed in 2008 with the intention of developing a special unit consisting only of women that would investigate crimes involving female criminals. Bangladesh Narcotics Control Department reported that as many as 100,000 people were engaged in drug trafficking, of whom 40 percent were women.[17] [18] Bangladesh Police considered male officers to be less effective than women in gathering information and investigating crimes involving women and had already been using female police officers more in tackling crimes involving female criminals.[17] As an all-women force, the SWPC is the first of its kind in Bangladesh's history.[17]

Bangladesh Police plan to raise such units across the country.[18] Currently, there are roughly 2,000 women officers in Bangladesh Police - less than two percent of the total force and one-third of whom are deployed in Dhaka.[17] Bangladesh Police plan to train and hire 3,000 women officers to bolster the SWPC.[17] [18] An Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Dhaka SWPC who leads a detective force of 24 women officers.[18]

Thana list of Dhaka Metropolitan Police

  1. Adabor
  2. Airport
  3. Badda
  4. Banani
  5. Bangshal
  6. Bhashantek
  7. Cantonment
  8. Chackbazar
  9. Dakshin Khan
  10. Darus-Salam
  11. Demra
  12. Dhanmondi
  13. Gandaria
  14. Gulshan
  15. Hatirjheel
  16. Hazaribagh
  17. Jattrabari
  18. Kadamtoli
  19. Kafrul
  20. Kalabagan
  21. Kamrangirchar
  22. Khilgaon
  23. Khilkhet
  24. Kotwali
  25. Lalbagh
  26. Mirpur Model
  27. Mohammadpur
  28. Motijheel
  29. Mugda
  30. New Market
  31. Pallabi
  32. Paltan Model
  33. Ramna Model
  34. Rampura
  35. Rupnagar
  36. Sabujbag
  37. Shah Ali
  38. Shahbag
  39. Shahjahanpur
  40. Sher e Bangla Nagar
  41. Shyampur
  42. Sutrapur
  43. Tejgaon
  44. Tejgaon Industrial
  45. Turag
  46. Uttar Khan
  47. Uttara East
  48. Uttara West
  49. Vatara
  50. Wari

The DMP also collaborates and maintains organizational links with the Bangladesh Ansar, Border Guard Bangladesh, Special Branch, Bangladeshi intelligence community, Rapid Action Battalion and other national security agencies.

Controversies

Police commissioners

Name Dates in Office
Md. Mainul Hasan8 August 2024 - Present
Habibur Rahman30 September 2023 - 6 August 2024[38]
Khandker Golam Faruq29 October 2022 - 30 September 2023
Shafiqul Islam13 September 2019 – 29 October 2022[39]
Asaduzzaman Mia8 January 2015 - 13 September 2019
Benazir Ahmed14 October 2010 - 8 January 2015
18 March 2009 - 14 October 2010[40]
Naeem Ahmed30 January 2007 - 15 March 2009
ABM Bazlur Rahman3 November 2006 - 30 January 2007
Naeem Ahmed2 November 2006 - 3 November 2006
SM Mizanur Rahman15 December 2004 - 2 November 2006
Md. Ashraful Huda20 May 2003 - 15 December 2004
Md. Abdul Qayyum11 November 2001 - 20 May 2003
Md. Anwarul Iqbal26 August 2001 - 11 November 2001
Qutbur Rahman3 August 2001 - 26 August 2001
18 January 2000 - 3 August 2001
A. K. M. Shamsuddin15 November 1998 - 18 January 2000
A. F. M. Mahmoud-Al Farid17 November 1997 - 15 November 1998
A. K. Al Mamun17 October 1996 - 17 November 1997
Mohammad Salam24 April 1996 - 17 October 1996
A. N. Hussain21 March 1993 - 24 April 1996
Mirza Rakibul Huda4 April 1992 - 21 March 1993
Md. Ashraful Huda12 December 1991 - 3 April 1992
Mohammad Salam17 October 1991 - 12 December 1991
2 January 1991 - 16 October 1991
Golam Morshed19 November 1990 - 2 January 1991
M. Enamul Haque26 August 1990 - 19 September 1990
Mohammad Salam8 April 1990 - 26 August 1990
A. M. M. Nasrullah Khan22 April 1987 - 8 April 1990
A. H. M. B. Zaman4 April 1984 - 22 April 1987
Abdur Rakib Khandaker10 March 1983 - 4 April 1984
2 August 1982 - 10 March 1983
Muhammad Habibur Rahman2 August 1982 - 2 July 1982
Abdur Rakib Khandaker2 February 1979 - 8 February 1982
A. M. M. Aminur Rahman28 December 1976 - 2 February 1979
E. A. Chowdhury1 February 1976 - 24 December 1976

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Biography of Commissioner. DMP official website. en. 2019-10-11.
  2. News: Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). The Daily Star. en. 2023-10-12.
  3. Web site: History of the DMP. Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 18 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131019123329/http://www.dmp.gov.bd/application/index/page/history. 19 October 2013. dead.
  4. Web site: DMP – New Initiatives . Dhaka Metropolitan Police . 30 September 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100916060427/http://www.dmp.gov.bd/static/new_initiative.php . 16 September 2010 .
  5. News: Outgoing DMP commissioner regrets failure to bring about discipline on the roads . .
  6. News: 'God wants you to die': Dhaka's long night of terror . Saeed . Ahmed . 3 July 2016 . CNN . 11 May 2022 . 11 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220511201131/https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/03/asia/bangladesh-terror-attack-moments/index.html . live.
  7. News: Families of 4 slain policemen get PM donation - National . 2023-05-19 . The Daily Observer.
  8. News: 27 November 2019 . Ex-Dhaka police chief Asaduzzaman Mia recalls first responses to Holey Artisan attack . bdnews24.com .
  9. News: Police to root out extremism from country, says DMP chief . New Age .
  10. Web site: DMP – Crime Division. Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 30 September 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081011102933/http://www.dmp.gov.bd/static/crime_division.php. 11 October 2008. dead.
  11. Web site: DMP – Protection Division. Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 30 September 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081011103044/http://www.dmp.gov.bd/static/protocol_supply.php. 11 October 2008. dead.
  12. Web site: DMP – Detective Division. Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 30 September 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081011102958/http://www.dmp.gov.bd/static/detective_division.php. 11 October 2008. dead.
  13. News: Islam . Shariful . Jamil Khan . Mohammad . 2018-05-21 . Cybercrime on the rise . The Daily Star . 2019-08-12.
  14. Web site: Counter Terrorism. 2018-12-01. Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 2019-08-12.
  15. Web site: History of the Bangladesh Police. 29 September 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090813125241/http://www.police.gov.bd/index5.php?category=18. 13 August 2009. dmy-all.
  16. News: Women in the Police . The New Nation . 29 September 2008.
  17. Web site: Women police intelligence unit in Bangladesh. Indiainfo.com. 2008-09-29.
  18. News: Bangladesh raises new unit of women police. Zee News. 2008-08-30. 2008-09-30.
  19. News: Policemen accused of custodial murder. bdnews24.com. 2017-04-03.
  20. News: Youth dies in Mirpur police custody. New Age. en-GB. 2017-04-03.
  21. News: Mirpur SI remanded. New Age. en-GB. 2017-04-03.
  22. News: OC sued, judicial probe ordered. New Age. en-GB. 2017-04-16.
  23. News: Wife sues Mirpur cops. 2014-07-21. The Daily Star. 2017-04-03. en.
  24. News: Police officer Jahid, source remanded in police custody. Prothom Alo. 2017-04-03.
  25. News: Banani OC killed as hostage crisis intensifies. NTV . 2017-04-16.
  26. News: Cops needed Tk 10 lakh. 2014-07-24. The Daily Star. 2017-04-03. en.
  27. News: Supreme Court must intervene to stop abuse of police remand. The New Nation. 2017-04-03. en.
  28. News: Torture claim on Jisan baseless, ill-motivated. Banglanews24.com. en. 2017-04-03.
  29. News: Police role questioned as probe going nowhere. 2016-02-22. The Daily Star. 2017-04-03. en.
  30. News: Dhrubo. Golam Mujtaba. Uttara West police lodge complaint saying top brass ordered torture of suspect by colleagues in the East. 2020-07-26. bdnews24.com.
  31. News: Police against revealing details of crossfire deaths to media Dhaka Tribune. 2016-11-11. Dhaka Tribune. 2017-04-03. en-US.
  32. News: Corrupt cops made crores of taka: HC. 2020-07-26. New Age . en.
  33. News: 2020-01-04. A dubious death. 2020-07-26. Dhaka Tribune.
  34. News: 2020-01-16. Uttara west police OC, 3 other cops sued over trader's death. 2020-07-26. Dhaka Tribune.
  35. News: 2020-02-28. Four (custodial) deaths and an alibi. 2020-07-26. The Daily Star. Opinion. en.
  36. News: Court orders probe against Uttara OC, 3 others. 2020-07-26. New Age. en.
  37. Web site: 2020-10-25. Power struggle in Bangladesh police revealed - Netra News. 2021-03-01. Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ. en-US.
  38. Web site: Habibur Rahman takes charge as 36th DMP commissioner . 30 September 2023 .
  39. News: Shafiqul made new DMP commissioner . 28 February 2021 . The Daily Star . 29 August 2019 . en.
  40. Web site: Former Commissioners . Dhaka Metropolitan Police . 28 February 2021 . en.